Get out of Westgate Resorts

NEVER pay anyone money upfront that claims they can get you out of your contract !!!

vickis296 wrote:

I was wanting to know if you know anything about the Wesley financial group based out of Tennessee....If not them could hiring a lawyer get you out of this mess....We owe 11,000 and just started paying.

If you search in the Buying, Selling, and Renting forum, you will see a thread there about Wesley Financial Group. Also, there are a few threads about this company on Timeshare Users Group (aka "TUG"; tugbbs.com). If you search for and read those threads, you will see some very unfavorable comments about Wesley.

Hiring a lawyer is not practical. No matter how good and knowledgeable a lawyer is, it does not have mystical powers that can make your timeshare, maintenance fees, or mortgage magically disappear.

This $11,000 that you owe, who is the lender? Is it a third party or is it Westgate directly? Realize that what you own (or are financing right now) is not worth anywhere near $11,000. Paying this off would be a bad financial investment although it might make you feel good and ethical knowing that you honestly paid your obligations. The better financial option would be to cut your losses and stop paying the mortgage (and maintenance fees) and let it go into foreclosure. You will lose what you've sunk into it so far and face a lot of collection calls and letters. They might also threaten to report you to credit agencies and ding your credit history. But it's either that or sink $11000 into a virtually worthless asset.

What can your friend do to help? Does she know a way to get out? Thank you.

vanessar121 wrote:

I can recomend you with a friend Jessica, let mw know!

addyr wrote:

What can your friend do to help? Does she know a way to get out? Thank you.

vanessar121 wrote:

I can recomend you with a friend Jessica, let mw know!

Fyi, I believe that semi-literate vannessar121 (quoted above) was booted off this site some time ago for repeatedly trying to (not very subtly) advertise for some obscure and useless "escape / exit / relief" outfit.

The bottom line is that there are no "friends" (and no magic beans or pixie dust) that can make a voluntarily undertaken and lawful contractual obligation just somehow magically disappear, no matter what you might (very unwisely) pay someone while chasing that pipe dream. To believe otherwise is naive and foolish --- not to mention a complete waste of your hard earned money if you choose to pursue a mythical "escape" that simply does not exist.

Be smart; forewarned is forearmed. There is an old saying that "A fool and his money are soon parted". Please don't willingly become someone who once again proves that old saying to be absolutely true.

any update on you getting out of westgate? we bought in nov 2018, and want out as well.

patrickw195 wrote:

We bought in nov 2018, and want out as well.

How much have you paid so far and how much more do you owe? If you owe more than $1000, then it is probably not worth it to pay off the balance in order to salvage your property. Sad as it is to say, financially you would be better off just letting it go into foreclosure even though you would lose all the money you've paid into it so far.

Just be aware of these outfits that promise people in your position that they can somehow magically escape/cancel/exit you from your timeshare and mortgage.

We owe over 10,000. We haven't invested much into it, so yeah I think letting it go is the best option. My wife almost fell for another option, such as convention booking. Dont know much about it, but dont care to.

I'm wondering if I'm able to take my wifes name off of the deed, leaving me on it. That way her credit doesnt get hit.

Thx for the heads up otherwise, really thought this place was different but unfortunately not.

You can have her file a quit claim to get her off the deed .

We also fell into the Westgate trap. Due to financial hardships have gone into default. Also during this time saw a news article that showed Westgate as being a scam. This also made me regret the purchase and not want to provide more money. I spoke with them today and they advised that our current deed is gone and wanted to change us to a different property that made the payment less with another down payment. Clearly if I can't afford the other one how can I pay them another down payment and monthly payments. Nothing was said about buying back the deed. This is currently not showing up on our credit repirts, did this not show up till they moved on to collections or foreclosure?

monicaw164 wrote:

....saw a news article that showed Westgate as being a scam. <snip> Nothing was said about buying back the deed. This is currently not showing up on our credit reports, did this not show up till they moved on to collections or foreclosure?

I have no use for Westgate (a.k.a. "Wastegate"), but to be fair and factually accurate, Westgate is not (and has never been) a "scam". The word "scam" necessarily implies unlawful activity and Westgate does not engage in unlawful activity. Their sales practices are deceptive and contemptible (in my personal opinion), but what they do is not illegal and not a "scam". Westgate sells overpriced timeshares to willing buyers who decide to purchase of their own free will and choice. Westgate (certainly not being alone in this practices) uses slimy, deceitful, exaggerating sales weasels to "close the deal" (and collect a hefty commission for having done so). The Westgate properties themselves are certainly nice enough, but their operating practices as a company are just despicable. Ironically, Westgate timeshares are worth virtually nothing in the resale market, largely because of very restrictive reservation constraints which Wastegate imposes upon owners who acquired their Wastegate timeshares in the resale market (as opposed to having bought directly from Westgate).

Also, to be very clear, Westgate does NOT "buy back" deeds from anyone at any time for any reason. They have never done so and they will never do so. On the contrary, Wastegate will only take back a deed under their relatively new "Legacy" program if you PAY them $950.00 (it may actually be even more than that now; I don't know --- or care). Eligibility for that "deedback" option absolutely requires that the account be completely current and up to date with no unpaid loan balance and no unpaid maintenance fees.

If you default on the loan, there may not be any negative credit report until actual foreclosure. Any creditor has the right to file a negative report any time after loan / contract payment terms are not being met, but Wastegate would surely prefer to first make collection efforts in a last ditch attempt to try to get you to voluntarily "square up" before they initiate negative credit reporting and / or foreclosure.

thanks for the info.

We are victims of Westgate Leisure Resorts. We made the purchase when they were Ramada. We were coerced and literally held hostage until we finally agreed. I am embarrassed to say we did not read the disclosure that we could opt out. The 'salesman' did not make us aware of that option nor were we told this unit would be forever in our family. The unit was only used once; our daughter and her husband on their honeymoon in 2007. She called me sobbing because it was a dump! We paid twice for help and of course we were scammed. The last 'company' was MTG Consultants. I spoke to Billy Wood and James Spinney. We have a letter from Westgate's attorneys, Greenspoon and Marder saying the contract is cancelled. But then I received a bill for maintenance fees which I quit paying in 2015. The mortgage is paid in full and we have the deed for our week. The latest company goes by either Fraud Solutions Services or Fraud Services Solutions in Las Vegas. They initially wanted $2500 but today offered me $1150 - paid up front of course. My husband has Alzheimer's and has been unable to work for 5 years. My job was eliminated in 2015 but I was hired on a 1099 in 2016. I work part time and we have his social security. Our fixed income only goes so far and I cannot send another company money only to find they are another scam. I think Westgate has a deed back program. We will never use this vacation spot and cannot continue to pay maintenance fees on something we have not and will not use. We also do not want this to be a burden to our children. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

denisec417 wrote:

I cannot send another company money only to find they are another scam. I think Westgate has a deed back program.

Then don't send any other company money. There is no need to. Just send a letter to the resort's Homeowners' Association and explain your situation. Ask them to take the deed back because you are not going to send any more money for maintenance fees.

denisec417 wrote:

...... I think Westgate has a deed back program. We will never use this vacation spot and cannot continue to pay maintenance fees on something we have not and will not use. We also do not want this to be a burden to our children. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

1. Yes, Westgate has a deedback program, called “Legacy”. To be eligible, there must be no outstanding loan balance and maintenance fees must be completely up to date. In addition, they currently require a fee of $950.00 from you for them to accept a “deedback”.

2. Unless you have (unwisely) already put your children’s name on the deed, they will never have any responsibility for your timeshare obligations. All they have to do when that time comes is to simply “disclaim” any such unwanted inheritance. The upfront fee “exit” parasites are fond of (falsely) saying that your timeshare will be a "future burden" to your children. The truth is that unless their names are already on the deed right along with your name (a very unwise move, but one perhaps already made), they will NEVER be responsible for your timeshare obligations unless they willingly and voluntarily and of their own free will choose to take over your timeshare. The upfront fee "exit" parasites routinely lie about this indisputable fact, taking unfair advantage of the reality that most people simply do not understand the actual legal facts of the situation.

Westgate will not deedback just anyone. I was told it depends upon where you own and the market there.

lorig341 wrote:

Westgate will not deedback just anyone. I was told it depends upon where you own and the market there.

By whom were you “told” this "information" --- and when?

As far as I know, under Westgate's "Legacy" program, any Westgate owner with paid up fees and no unpaid loan balance can "deedback" to Wastegate, as long as they are also willing to pony up the $950.00 fee Wastegate requires to accept and process the deedback.

Do you have specific information directly from Westgate indicating otherwise, or are you relaying unsubstantiated, unverified “hearsay”?

I could no longer pay or sell my timesheet. Westgate had a tone of people trying to get people to pay more money for them to take back the deed. I did not sign anything because I really don't understand the process. I have a four bedroom unit and I want to know what happens to your equity that is in the property. ' When I called a few weeks ago, I was told I had a credit. Today, nobody can find any information about my account. I was given a number to call at the court house but their is no record of a foreclosure being file; eventhough; Westgate sent me some papers that had alot of information blackened out.

Don't no where to go from here. My last payment was 11.17. I haven't seen anything on my credit report.

Thanks

rjl12 wrote:

I regretfully bought 1 from Westgate last 2015 and had an immediate bitter taste in my mouth the following day. I talked to them and tried to return the property and, not knowing that time as I was a noob, they stated that i cannot just return it as I have signed a contract. They immediately peddled a smaller unit and took away the one i bought. i paid for a year and realized I was duped. I stopped paying them and the maintenance fees altogether and they have been calling me ever since. I put their phone in block and sent an email to add me to their DO NOT CALL list but they still chugged along with their calls and i kept blocking them. They even tried using a different number and I blocked those too.

My mind was set for the inevitable foreclosure or an offer of Warranty for Deed in Lieu of Forclusure (WDIL) and will not pay them another penny. Just last Friday, I received the WDIL and they are asking for $1395 as their "release program" so I emailed them saying I cannot pay this amount and offered $150 and this is the response i received:

Good Morning: The WDIL is one of three options you qualify for. The goal is to either help you keep your property before the bank finalizes their foreclosure proceedings or the WDIL is a way for you to be released from the 10 year promissory note and contract. The WDIL and the cover letter that comes with it states what it will do for you is the “draft for release of debt”. The $10 is not for you to pay. The $1395 is your responsibility as part of that “release program”. Once the forms are completed and received and the fee paid you will be released from the contract the debt and avoid the foreclosure that if it finalizes would bring a credit judgment for the amount of the debt at that time. Please advise. The cover letter states a discount if you pay over the phone it is 10% or you can set up a 3 month postdated arrangement through this office and once the total amount is paid the release takes place. The fee changes/increases month to month as it sits in the delinquency or once you receive a summons can get up to $2500. Let me know what you decide before we run out of month. Jane

To be continued...

Anyone know what happened here?

We used Westgate's legacy program to terminate ownership of property that our parents left to us in a Trust. It went fine. You do have to pay an "administration" fee and have all dues current, but it was worth it. Our original plan was to just stop paying and ride the wave of harassing collection calls, but having it gone is SUCH a relief! BTW - I think Westgate established the legacy program because of so much bad press on their unwillingness to help folks depart. I think this will help their sales going forward.

robertc1852 wrote:

BTW - I think Westgate established the legacy program because of so much bad press on their unwillingness to help folks depart. I think this will help their sales going forward.

Perhaps. I think though that Westgate, as well as other Timeshare companies such as Wyndham and Diamond, are also establishing such programs not so much to avoid bad press but to avoid a lot of foreclosures. After a foreclosure, the resort's Homeowners' Association ends up getting the property back anyway. But the HOA has to go through a lot of expense, time, and effort to get it back. Allowing the owner to surrender it voluntarily for a fee ($950 or so for Westgate) saves the HOA a lot of expenses.

As well, establishing such programs avoids owners going through these scam or questionable relief companies that claim they can get owners out of the timeshares.